When the whistle blew, Julia Lawrenz did not head straight to the court with her partner, Izadora Stedile.
“I ask for protection, free my mind, give me discipline and energy,” said Lawrenz, top senior blocker, as she prayed, eyes closed and hands open to the sky.
Around her, the courts buzzed with the referee’s whistle and teammates calling out cheers of good luck. Just off to the side, two players got their ankles taped by a trainer while talking through strategy. On the second court, another match was already underway.
It was senior weekend for the Hawai‘i Rainbow Wahine Beach Bows, with multiple opponents ahead. But for this group, the focus was the many years they spent together building something special.
The weekend of April 11, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa beach volleyball team competed in a series of matches against both nonconference and in-state opponents. While spectators watched the action in the sand, much of the team’s experience unfolded off the court, in the moments between matches that often go unnoticed.
In an era of college athletics shaped by the transfer portal, where rosters frequently shift from year to year, this senior class represented something increasingly rare. A core group of players has spent all four years together, building trust and familiarity that showed up in the smallest moments: on the bench, between matches, and in the locker room conversations most fans never hear.
Between matches, players moved through individual routines. Some taped their fingers, others listened to music, and a few leaned back-to-back with their eyes closed, taking brief moments to reset.
“They are definitely going to adjust and come out hard,” senior starter Caprice Lorenzo said, dusting sand off her hands after winning set one, before returning to the court for the second set.
On the sidelines, the energy shifted constantly. While one court exploded after a chase scoop and kill, just a few feet away, teammates reacted to a disputed call.
Wind remained steady throughout the weekend, but periods of rain added other challenges such as weighting down the ball and causing sand to cling to players. During timeouts, pairs wiped sand from their faces and huddled under umbrellas, speaking quickly about their game plan.
“They’re not seeing the four, so let’s push it until they switch something up,” senior Sydney Miller said, pointing across the net.
Even when they were not competing, players tracked the scores, reacted to big swings and celebrated points as if they were their own.
For the seniors, those moments carried extra weight.
“It hasn’t really hit me yet,” Sarah Burton said with a small laugh. “I think it will sink in next year, when I’m not waking up early every day and seeing all of you at practice.”
After four years together, the wins and losses began to blur. What remained were the routines, the shared mission and the time spent alongside one another.
As a younger player on this team, I saw firsthand what these seniors represented beyond their statistics or records. They set the standard for what it means to be a Rainbow Wahine. From how they showed up to lift in the early hours of the day to how they finished out a three set game, they followed through. They showed how to stay committed to the program and to each other.
Watching them compete in their final home matches was a milestone for them and a moment of realization for the rest of us. This undefeated weekend showed us what is possible when you persevere, and what it means to carry that forward.
For a group shaped by those who chose to stay, senior weekend was not just about the final scores. It was about the team, the culture they built for and from one another.
In a college sports landscape defined by constant change and self-promotion, this team’s story reflected something less common: a graduating class of 10, most of whom spent their entire careers representing Hawai‘i, leaving behind a legacy that extends beyond the court.
Mānoa Mirror Staff notes that Ayva Moi is a part of the UHM Beach Volleyball team.
